Nature Inspiration from Percy Warner Park

Last weekend I enjoyed one of Nashville's most beautiful hiking trails at Percy Warner Park. It was my first time visiting and I had a really incredible time exploring all the nature there. It's always nice to just wander through the woods with your friends and have absolutely no obligations other than enjoying the view around you.


It was a gorgeous day with good company and the perfect chance to get out and play around with my camera. I transitioned to a (used) DSLR about a year ago after my point and shoot camera (that survived being dropped in a toilet, RIP) was on the fritz. I'm still not where I want to be with my photos but I can definitely see that my pictures have steadily improved. I'm still trying to master all the manual settings which have resulted in some not so desirable results but live and learn, eh?


I've been wrestling with blurry photos lately so now I'm trying to figure out if it's an actual problem with my lens or just user error— which is completely possible and equally as frustrating! It just seems like nothing is ever as crisp and clear as I'd like it to be. But what would life be without new challenges and personal growth driving us forward? My goal isn't to ever call myself a "photographer" but it would be nice to actually, uhh, know what I'm doing?! Ha.


Anyway, if you haven't gone out to do some exploring lately I highly recommend it. I think it's still a bit more green here than other places this time of year but it was still very inspirational— I loved all the browns and pops of warm color scattered about. I can't stop thinking of how peaceful everything was that day. I'm going to experiment with some potential product photos for my shop next week and they'll definitely be influenced by the simple + natural elements I've been so drawn to lately.


I recently shared a little about how I was overwhelmed with thoughts of branding + product photos in this post. When my friend invited me on a hike I knew it would be the perfect chance to clear my head and just take a breather from thinking about all this online shop owning and really focus on "being in the moment." Funny how taking time to disconnect myself from the problem and focus on the natural beauty around us has potentially solved this issue. Much like inspiration striking in the shower or while driving, I suppose.


Okay, I think that's enough of this introspective-Henry David Thoreau-spiritual-quest type mumbo jumbo! What I'm trying to say is that it's nice to just be surrounded by pretty things that aren't the internet or the same old roads you take everyday— even if does mean being sore for three days straight in muscles you didn't even know existed. This weekend one of my best friends is in town so we have tons of good food to eat, movies to watch, and hiking trails to explore! Do you have anything fun planned? -jenna


Note: All photos shown here were taken with a Canon 60D + 50mm lens 

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Mondayzed & Confused

I'm having one of those Alice in Wonderland weeks where everything is backwards and I can't figure out how I got to where I am! I don't wanna say "things aren't going as planned" because lots of amazing things are happening lately— it's just that there has been no schedule or rhyme or reason to my life lately!
My poor Olive was having the most terrible sneezing fits. We went to the vet and luckily we think it's just a little respiratory cold. After some poking and prodding and a prescription I think she is finally starting to feel better now. It's terrifying though— seeing your animal in such discomfort and being completely helpless. I wished so many times to trade places with her, or for the ability to just teach her how to blow her nose!
I think October must be wedding central— I've already been to two weddings this month! Last week we watched as Mike and Kaelah exchanged vows. And this weekend. . . Woof! Where to begin? I started off by baking for 5 weddings at work. And that was in addition to the daily cupcakes I make. So then I came home and baked for my friend's wedding that I mentioned here. It was beautiful and lovely and I can't even describe how it feels to watch a newly wed couple celebrate their love with something you made! It was such a happy and proud moment for me!
With all the excitement in my life I managed to wipe myself out completely. Standing in front of a hot oven for 8 hours a day on 4 hours of sleep really takes it out of you! I spent Sunday recuperating and since there has been strange going-ons at work— I also have today off! Not only do I never have two days off in a row but I have especially never had a Monday free. It's nice to have a little break, but I swear I couldn't even tell you what day it is!
So needless to say, I am a little out of sorts today! I looked at the calendar and I can't even believe we are halfway through October. But I'm glad to say that time is flying because I have so many great things happening in my life! I woke up this morning after the mister kissed me goodbye and I just laid in bed creating a list of all the things I am thankful for. So even though my days have been getting curiouser and curiouser— there is still much to celebrate. It's been a strange week for sure. I'm going to open up the windows and spend my day getting my head on straight! I have some cleaning up to do, letters to write, pictures to edit, and a new friend to meet for coffee. Is anyone else experiencing a whirlwind of a month?!

That fast in and out service!

I'm a really big fan of great hand lettering so it's probably no surprise that I kinda have this "thing" for hand painted wall signs, too. This is the side of a building we drove by recently and when I saw it I obviously fell in love! Even looking at these pictures now, I can't help but imagine what this wall looked like in its youth! There are so many fun characters, great phrases, and little quirks to appreciate. I think that guy with a toolbox + hat flying off might be the best. Although part of it has been spray painted over, you can still get a sense of the playfulness from that time period. I'd love to start photographing more of the neat walls I see around town. Maybe now that I have a new camera I will start doing just that! Are there any neat walls in your neck of the woods?

Cat in the Small Blue House

Just wanted to share a little glimpse of my new life here in Nashville so far!

I live in a little blue house on a hill! There is a park next door and we scored  a porch and a deck in the back! I can't wait to grow tomatoes and set up my bookmaking studio and to have a place where I can work on teaching myself cake decorating.

This is the view from our backyard. It's so neat to see the skyline from our house and to feel super secluded at the same time.

And here is Olive— belly up and passed out from all the stress of moving! How stinkin' cute is she?! It's so fun to watch her perch on the back deck and listen to the birds.

And this is how we celebrated finally getting moved in: chips, salsa, and Margaronas! A ridiculous drink for one seriously ridiculous month. We have done so much and still have mile long to-do lists but luckily most of the hard work is done besides finding a few more furniture pieces. My inspiration is finally starting to outweigh the stress— don't you love it when that happens?!

Diagnosis: Music City Fever

When I woke up at 4:30 am last Saturday it wasn't my intention to end the day sweaty, tired, and in disbelief from learning that I can bike 36 miles per hour.

It all started off when Nick and I packed up our bikes and drove to Nashville for some fun with friends. I've always had a soft spot for Music City, but I really fell hard this time around. We spent the whole day on bikes: in Centennial Park, seeking out food, cruising the Art Crawl, and then finally attending the Saturday Night Sprints.

I'm pretty much the least competitive person I know, but after seeing my friends and peers consistently bike upwards of 30mph, I just couldn't leave without testing my own limits. So I signed up and soon found myself perched on a bicycle trainer, waiting to pedal as fast as I could to go absolutely nowhere.

As I waited for the sprint to start, I thought about where I was this time last year: bruised up and hobbling around the house after being hit by a truck while cycling.

That was when my anxiety about biking fast had started. I was always a cautious cyclist, but after that collision, well, let's just say I rarely biked hard enough to even break a sweat. For the last year I have cruised around town as the slowest cyclist I know— continuously alert and perpetually trying to anticipate every terrible driver's unpredictable move.

But here I was: alive, healthy, happy, and far away from any moving cars. I was surrounded by my best friends and finally prepared to face my fears. The countdown started and 3. . . 2. . 1! I was off! I have never moved so fast in my life! My legs burned. My chest tightened. My body was covered in sweat. But I was alive. And I was biking. And that's all that mattered during those 18 seconds.

I didn't think about how I sat on the pavement the night I was hit, screaming about the fact that I couldn't move my leg. Or how angry I was at the driver who turned left into me. I just looked down at my legs—  amazed with each rapid pedal stroke at how many miles they have carried me the last year. Amazed by how freeing it is to be able to depend on your body to get you where you're going. I just pedaled my heart out, amazed by the fact that I was even alive.

I lost the race that night.

After high-fiving all my friends and drinking about a gallon of water, I climbed on my own bike and headed towards the car. I reveled in the nearly empty city streets and let the evening air cool my face as I pedaled through Nashville as fast as I wanted.

Cycling through Music City that day revived my love for bikes. I let go of my fear of going as fast as I wanted, my automatic grudge against every driver, and my resentment towards each road that wasn't paved with bikes in mind. It all weighed too much and it was literally slowing me down. I cycled happily through the brisk night and envisioned myself actually living in Nashville someday: learning the streets by bike and navigating on my own. I fell asleep that night with a sense of peace and woke up the next day with a mega crush on Music City and a desire to just pick up and move.

Photos courtesy of Ryan Green (view all from the sprints here)